heaven is a place on earth
by katanafleet
Summary: She feels Killian's eyes on her and she looks back to him, smiles. The soft joyous look in his eyes hasn't faded, not since Hope was born. She's pretty sure it never will.
1. a happy beginning

The ceremony finishes without a hitch, not even Hope complaining about the circumstances or the absolutely bizarre happenings over the last few… well, all of her little life. The past few months have been insane, but Regina's happy, her parents are happy, and both Henrys are grinning and greeting everyone. And Hope is here and healthy, so Emma figures the craziness is worth it.

 _So_ worth it.

It's overall mass confusion in the great hall, which is why Emma's sitting on the sidelines, holding her baby. It's not as confusing there.

Hope squeaks and Emma smiles down at her. Her bright blue eyes are open and her wisps of blonde hair are all over the place. She waves her little hands around and Emma manages to grab one fist and kiss it. She's equal parts Emma and Killian, and she's _beautiful_.

It's not the first time she's thought it, of course—and it won't be the last—but there's something about your child that makes you feel like you've created the most perfect thing in all of the world.

Emma hears Killian's laugh across the hall. He's talking to Henry—their Henry—and leaning down for Lucy to clamber onto his back. They're _grandparents_ , she and Killian, and there's something about that that's just wrong. But then again, it runs in the family, and she wouldn't change it if she could. She glances over at Snow and David, who are looking down at their people and discussing grave matters with little Neal.

She feels Killian's eyes on her and she looks back to him, smiles. The soft joyous look in his eyes hasn't faded, not since Hope was born. She's pretty sure it never will.

He sets Lucy back on the ground and she runs to the other Killian. Alice laughs as Lucy hugs her and Robin before climbing on Killian's back. Emma sighs—Lucy and Hope are going to get into all of the trouble once Hope can move on her own. It's going to be great.

Killian appears before her and she can't—and won't—hold back her grin. "How's my girl?" he asks, sitting down and wrapping his arm around her in one movement. They both look down at Hope, who blinks and gurgles, just about smiles. Daddy's girl already.

"Are you okay, Swan?" Killian murmurs.

Emma leans her head on his shoulder. She's exhausted from a previously screaming baby, marginally overwhelmed from the sheer number of people, and still confused as to how there can be two versions of her son in one room—but. Henry's finally home with the rest of his family. She's surrounded by the people she loves, every single one of them. And Hope, her baby, is happy and _here_.

"I have you and Henry and Hope," she whispers. "It's a new world, Killian."

She hears the smile in her husband's voice. "A happy beginning."


	2. now is ours

Killian Jones stared down at his baby girl.

 _His daughter._ He was a _father_.

Emma had gone into labor early in the morning, waking him up at 5 so he could hold her hand through the earlier contractions and he could alternate between panic and comfort in the normal way of a soon-to-be-father. She'd held off on the predicted cursing until they'd gotten to the hospital hours later.

Their family waited in the suitably-named waiting room—Snow and David, Henry and his family—while Killian stood by Emma's side.

Hope had come mid-afternoon with an almighty screech and a flash of light. Once the attendants wiped her off and weighed all six pounds and four ounces of her, they had all but shoved Hope in Emma's arms as the hospital erupted in chaos since most of the lightbulbs on the floor had seen fit to flash in unison for thirty seconds.

Emma had murmured about the electronic malfunction as they stared down at their baby girl, but Killian didn't care that his daughter had magic and they were in for an _interesting_ time as she got older. Hope Swan Jones had quieted the moment her blue eyes connected with Emma's, and it was okay.

Their baby girl was _here_.

She was _beautiful_. Blonde and blue-eyed, so small but so strong, and the spitting image of his love. Emma gazed down at the baby with the most beautiful smile he'd ever seen, and he'd never loved her more than in that moment.

Emma had managed to stay awake for two hours after Hope's birth, long enough for the rest of their family to come in and gawk at the baby, give their congratulations, and leave once Killian started glaring. Emma needed sleep, and Hope was still considering whether sleep, wailing, or eating was the best course of action. So the rest of the Charmings had to go.

Hope, the little darling, had chosen sleep like the sensible little thing she already was. Killian stroked his fingers through her smidgen of hair, kissed her forehead, desperately and silently pleaded with her not to wake up.

 _His_ family. They were a family now, him and Emma and Hope.

"I love you, little one," Killian whispered.

It was the first time he'd been able to speak in hours. His voice was slightly hoarse from talking basically nonstop from 5 AM, trying to calm Emma and her last remaining frantic I-don't-know-how-to-be-a-mother nerves down. Or screaming at the doctors whenever he felt like it. It was a miracle they hadn't thrown him to the waiting room.

"Your mother and I love you so much," he murmured. "We've waited for you for a long time, you know. Were afraid you wouldn't be coming along at all, after a while. But then there you were. Kicking away at your mother and preventing her from setting foot on the ship for _months_. But you'll love sailing, little one. I'll take you out on the water—" Hope opened her eyes and Killian just stared at the bright blue.

"Converting her into a pirate already?" Emma murmured from the bed. Killian glanced up at her, watched as she stretched and reached out her hand for him.

"You'll be doing that, love. Always a little bit of the pirate in you, remember?"

Emma smiled ruefully. "I suppose that statement turned out a little more literal than you thought."

Killian grinned and stood carefully, taking the two steps over to the hospital bed to sit down at Emma's side. "Couldn't have wished for anything less, Swan."

"How is she?" Emma moved the blanket aside, just enough to see her face. "She's got your ears," she noted with no small amount of glee. Hope really did have his ears, Killian noticed. Emma had been predicting them for the full length of her pregnancy, just as he'd been predicting the hair color.

"She's _beautiful_ ," Killian murmured, placing her in Emma's waiting arms. Hope's little hand clenched and released, and one of the lights in the room flickered.

Emma sighed, trying not to smile. Killian didn't stop his grin. "She is perfect," Emma whispered.

And, Killian thought as Emma leaned down to kiss the baby's forehead, she was _hope_.


	3. celebrate together

Emma was awakened by Hope babbling to herself through the baby monitor. She rolled over to meet Killian's gaze. His eyes were sparkling, which made her wonder how long he'd been watching her sleep and listening to Hope.

"Merry Christmas, love," he murmured.

"Merry Christmas, Killian," she whispered back.

They hadn't really had many plans for Hope's first Christmas. She certainly wasn't going to remember it, so there didn't seem to be too much point in making it overly lavish. They'd already gotten Santa pictures and made wobbly gingerbread houses. They would have a quiet morning at home, watch Hope flail her way through a few ribbons and wrapping paper, and fall asleep to some Christmas movie.

Emma had acquiesced to the over-the-top Charming Christmas event when Killian pointed out that they wanted Hope to have everything they'd never had, even a ridiculous amount of presents, pictures, and admirations.

And, Emma had to admit, Hope looked even cuter than usual in her Christmas dress. Which was saying a lot, since Hope was the most beautiful baby in the world.

"Hi, little love," Killian said, gently taking her from Emma's arms. Hope cooed and reached for Killian's face. "Ready for Grandma and Grandpa to cry over how beautiful you are?"

Emma laughed and Hope turned to stare and join in the laughter. "They're going to spoil her rotten today with all the presents and entertainment."

"Once a year—twice, including her birthday—can't do that much for a child's ego, Swan. And besides, our little love deserves all of it."

Emma couldn't argue with that.

Many, many hours later, Emma had eaten all of the food she could, showed Hope around to what seemed like half of Storybrooke, and helped the rest of the kids through a massive pile of presents to eventually find the Christmas tree.

Hope was asleep in her arms, most of the people were gone, and Snow and David were cuddled on the couch and gazing at the fire. She hadn't seen Killian in a while, so she wandered outside to look for her husband, pulling another scarf around herself and Hope as well as she could one-handed.

Killian was standing not too far from the back door, watching Henry, Lucy, and Neal kick a soccer ball around the backyard. "Killian," she whispered.

His eyes lit up when he turned and saw her, reaching out a hand to help her through the four inches of snow. A tear glistened on his cheek.

"What's wrong?" Emma asked as Killian leaned down to look at Hope, grinning when he saw how her tiny nose was scrunched up in her sleep.

Killian smiled, wiping away the tear. "I was watching the game, thinking about family. I've never had this much family, Emma, never dreamed of it until a few years ago. Didn't deserve this much love, and now I feel it everywhere. I have you and our little lass and your parents and Henry and his family. Sometimes it seems like a bit of a miracle."

Emma leaned her head on his shoulder and he wrapped his arm tightly around her. She didn't have to say a thing for him to know that she felt the same way.

Henry cheered as he got a goal past Lucy and Neal's teamwork. Neal groaned and Lucy jumped on her father's back. The tackle devolved into a snowball fight, Ella joining in from the sidelines.

Killian laughed, turning to Emma. "This, though, _this_ is what Hope's going to grow up with, love. Christmas every year."

Emma kissed Killian's cheek and looked down at the baby in her arms. Even in her sleep, Hope smiled.


End file.
